2015: The Back To The Future Season

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Castro is hitting everything.  Rizzo and Bryant are Gods. Jorge and Baez pinch hit and launch bombs and doubles off the wall. So much talent. I can't fucking handle it, man.

Why the fuck do people want to trade this guy?

Because Cubs fans are dumb.

Having failed in his effort to get rid of Schwarber for Cole Hamels, Eli will stop at nothing to make sure the Cubs trade away at least one future star power hitter for a broken down pitcher.



desperately hoping no one remembers that Eli dragged me and Slaky both onto Team Trade Schwarber with his damnable lies

DPD.

Just playing devil's advocate here--because I'd rather have Schwarber than not have Schwarber-- but hasn't Texas surged since acquiring Hamels?  Or have they surged in spite of him?  What I know about the American League can fill a thimble--and my apathy is so strong about the AL I'm asking the question here rather than looking it up--which would've been quicker but DISCUSSION.

I think they've won like 7 or 8 of his starts in a row. It's been an interesting narrative, if nothing else -- Hamels refused to approve a trade to the Astros because of their sociopath GM, so they traded him to the Rangers instead. And then the Rangers promptly overtook the Astros in the division.

That Astros collapse has been fun. I still want them to fail. The old hatreds die hard. I hear Chip Caray splooging over Craig Biggio in the back of my mind and I want their collapse to be seared into the history books.

Still got a 3 game lead in the Wildcard tho.

[SKO]

Castro is hitting everything.  Rizzo and Bryant are Gods. Jorge and Baez pinch hit and launch bombs and doubles off the wall. So much talent. I can't fucking handle it, man.

Why the fuck do people want to trade this guy?

Because Cubs fans are dumb.

Having failed in his effort to get rid of Schwarber for Cole Hamels, Eli will stop at nothing to make sure the Cubs trade away at least one future star power hitter for a broken down pitcher.



desperately hoping no one remembers that Eli dragged me and Slaky both onto Team Trade Schwarber with his damnable lies

DPD.

Just playing devil's advocate here--because I'd rather have Schwarber than not have Schwarber-- but hasn't Texas surged since acquiring Hamels?  Or have they surged in spite of him?  What I know about the American League can fill a thimble--and my apathy is so strong about the AL I'm asking the question here rather than looking it up--which would've been quicker but DISCUSSION.

I think they've won like 7 or 8 of his starts in a row. It's been an interesting narrative, if nothing else -- Hamels refused to approve a trade to the Astros because of their sociopath GM, so they traded him to the Rangers instead. And then the Rangers promptly overtook the Astros in the division.

That Astros collapse has been fun. I still want them to fail. The old hatreds die hard. I hear Chip Caray splooging over Craig Biggio in the back of my mind and I want their collapse to be seared into the history books.

Still got a 3 game lead in the Wildcard tho.

True, but if they lose the play-in game after spending almost the entire season with a comfortable division lead that's almost worse than just missing the playoffs entirely. You had it in the bag, and then blew it and subjected yourself to the coin flip.

[Quality Start Machine]

Castro is hitting everything.  Rizzo and Bryant are Gods. Jorge and Baez pinch hit and launch bombs and doubles off the wall. So much talent. I can't fucking handle it, man.

Why the fuck do people want to trade this guy?

Because Cubs fans are dumb.

Having failed in his effort to get rid of Schwarber for Cole Hamels, Eli will stop at nothing to make sure the Cubs trade away at least one future star power hitter for a broken down pitcher.



desperately hoping no one remembers that Eli dragged me and Slaky both onto Team Trade Schwarber with his damnable lies

DPD.

Just playing devil's advocate here--because I'd rather have Schwarber than not have Schwarber-- but hasn't Texas surged since acquiring Hamels?  Or have they surged in spite of him?  What I know about the American League can fill a thimble--and my apathy is so strong about the AL I'm asking the question here rather than looking it up--which would've been quicker but DISCUSSION.

I think they've won like 7 or 8 of his starts in a row. It's been an interesting narrative, if nothing else -- Hamels refused to approve a trade to the Astros because of their sociopath GM, so they traded him to the Rangers instead. And then the Rangers promptly overtook the Astros in the division.

That Astros collapse has been fun. I still want them to fail. The old hatreds die hard. I hear Chip Caray splooging over Craig Biggio in the back of my mind and I want their collapse to be seared into the history books.

Still got a 3 game lead in the Wildcard tho.

True, but if they lose the play-in game after spending almost the entire season with a comfortable division lead that's almost worse than just missing the playoffs entirely. You had it in the bag, and then blew it and subjected yourself to the coin flip.

An Astros/Yankees wild card game will have me rooting hard for an asteroid.

[Yeti]

Castro is hitting everything.  Rizzo and Bryant are Gods. Jorge and Baez pinch hit and launch bombs and doubles off the wall. So much talent. I can't fucking handle it, man.

Why the fuck do people want to trade this guy?

Because Cubs fans are dumb.

Having failed in his effort to get rid of Schwarber for Cole Hamels, Eli will stop at nothing to make sure the Cubs trade away at least one future star power hitter for a broken down pitcher.



desperately hoping no one remembers that Eli dragged me and Slaky both onto Team Trade Schwarber with his damnable lies

DPD.

Just playing devil's advocate here--because I'd rather have Schwarber than not have Schwarber-- but hasn't Texas surged since acquiring Hamels?  Or have they surged in spite of him?  What I know about the American League can fill a thimble--and my apathy is so strong about the AL I'm asking the question here rather than looking it up--which would've been quicker but DISCUSSION.

I think they've won like 7 or 8 of his starts in a row. It's been an interesting narrative, if nothing else -- Hamels refused to approve a trade to the Astros because of their sociopath GM, so they traded him to the Rangers instead. And then the Rangers promptly overtook the Astros in the division.

That Astros collapse has been fun. I still want them to fail. The old hatreds die hard. I hear Chip Caray splooging over Craig Biggio in the back of my mind and I want their collapse to be seared into the history books.

Still got a 3 game lead in the Wildcard tho.

True, but if they lose the play-in game after spending almost the entire season with a comfortable division lead that's almost worse than just missing the playoffs entirely. You had it in the bag, and then blew it and subjected yourself to the coin flip.

I was going to do a whole "Why do you hate Luis Valbuena" thing and then go into their great HR rate along with their K-rate..... and then I discovered they have 1297 strikeouts, and that's full Valbuena away from the Cubs number at 1402. I didn't even realize the Cubs led the league by 105 in Ks... On the flip side, they also lead the majors in pitching Ks, so that's fun

[InternetApex]

Castro is hitting everything.  Rizzo and Bryant are Gods. Jorge and Baez pinch hit and launch bombs and doubles off the wall. So much talent. I can't fucking handle it, man.

Why the fuck do people want to trade this guy?

Because Cubs fans are dumb.

Having failed in his effort to get rid of Schwarber for Cole Hamels, Eli will stop at nothing to make sure the Cubs trade away at least one future star power hitter for a broken down pitcher.



desperately hoping no one remembers that Eli dragged me and Slaky both onto Team Trade Schwarber with his damnable lies

DPD.

Just playing devil's advocate here--because I'd rather have Schwarber than not have Schwarber-- but hasn't Texas surged since acquiring Hamels?  Or have they surged in spite of him?  What I know about the American League can fill a thimble--and my apathy is so strong about the AL I'm asking the question here rather than looking it up--which would've been quicker but DISCUSSION.

I think they've won like 7 or 8 of his starts in a row. It's been an interesting narrative, if nothing else -- Hamels refused to approve a trade to the Astros because of their sociopath GM, so they traded him to the Rangers instead. And then the Rangers promptly overtook the Astros in the division.

That Astros collapse has been fun. I still want them to fail. The old hatreds die hard. I hear Chip Caray splooging over Craig Biggio in the back of my mind and I want their collapse to be seared into the history books.

Still got a 3 game lead in the Wildcard tho.

True, but if they lose the play-in game after spending almost the entire season with a comfortable division lead that's almost worse than just missing the playoffs entirely. You had it in the bag, and then blew it and subjected yourself to the coin flip Snork.

2014 A's'd.

[R-V]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

Someone'll have to be 60-Day Dl'd for Cahill--who was not on the 40 man on 9/1--to be on any postseason roster, no?

[InternetApex]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

Someone'll have to be 60-Day Dl'd for Cahill--who was not on the 40 man on 9/1--to be on any postseason roster, no?

Tommy Hunter with a gunshot wound in the leg?

[Eli]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

I think I'd rather see Hendricks and Hammel over Cahill. Even with their struggles of late, they're both better pitchers than he is. I know there's the possible issue of them not being accustomed to coming out of the bullpen, but I'd probably take my chances anyway.

[R-V]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

Someone'll have to be 60-Day Dl'd for Cahill--who was not on the 40 man on 9/1--to be on any postseason roster, no?

Tommy Hunter with a gunshot wound in the leg?

Yes Huey you are correct, but I'm assuming the necessary injury shenanigans to get Cahill on the roster will take place.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

I think I'd rather see Hendricks and Hammel over Cahill. Even with their struggles of late, they're both better pitchers than he is. I know there's the possible issue of them not being accustomed to coming out of the bullpen, but I'd probably take my chances anyway.

Definitely Hammel over Cahill but I'm not so sure about Hendricks.  I see a very messy pants-shitting in his future if he takes the mound in the playoffs.  Prove me wrong, Kyle.  Prove.  Me.  Wrong.

[Quality Start Machine]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

I think I'd rather see Hendricks and Hammel over Cahill. Even with their struggles of late, they're both better pitchers than he is. I know there's the possible issue of them not being accustomed to coming out of the bullpen, but I'd probably take my chances anyway.

Definitely Hammel over Cahill but I'm not so sure about Hendricks.  I see a very messy pants-shitting in his future if he takes the mound in the playoffs.  Prove me wrong, Kyle.  Prove.  Me.  Wrong.

Thinking for Hammel's start in the NLDS, Maddon has Wood and Cahill warming up when Hammel takes the mound.

[Slaky]

Anyone know why Wada hasn't been used?

[Tonker]

Another list of names that nobody asked for: first pass at Coin Flip and NLDS rosters.

Hendricks makes the coin flip roster on the off chance the game goes into extras and they need another starter; he'll be on 3 days rest.

Hammel only makes my NLDS roster if he gets his shit together in the next couple weeks.

I'm assuming that Berry can, in addition to his pinch running, be a late inning defensive replacement in LF; if not, I might lean towards Denorfia over him in the NLDS.

I think I'd rather see Hendricks and Hammel over Cahill. Even with their struggles of late, they're both better pitchers than he is. I know there's the possible issue of them not being accustomed to coming out of the bullpen, but I'd probably take my chances anyway.

Definitely Hammel over Cahill but I'm not so sure about Hendricks.  I see a very messy pants-shitting in his future if he takes the mound in the playoffs.  Prove me wrong, Kyle.  Prove.  Me.  Wrong.

Thinking for Hammel's start in the NLDS, Maddon has Wood and Cahill warming up when Hammel takes the mound.

Can they rent the Cardinals' bullpen mounds, and have Hendricks and Richard warming up, too?  From the five of them, they can probably cobble together one reasonably decent SP.

[SKO]

Anyone know why Wada hasn't been used?

His last five major league appearances: 4.86 ERA, opponent slash line of .299/.351/.552/.904. His numbers at Iowa were also pretty underwhelming.

I think they just prefer the Cahill/Richard/Wood long relief trio given how all three of them at least have major league fastballs.